******************************************************
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, shared his thoughts on the impact of the financial tsunami with over 200 university students from more than 15 Asian Pacific countries and regions today (March 25).
Speaking at the Asia Pacific Exchange and Leadership Development Seminar of AIESEC Hong Kong, Mr Cheung said that events in the past months had vividly illustrated what could happen to an increasingly "flat" and globalised world.
"No one would have predicted that the financial turmoil would spread so quickly and extensively, with its contagious impact so intense and implications so far-reaching," he said.
Noting that the current financial crisis has given us much food for thought, Mr Cheung urged young leaders at the seminars to remember the sobering lesson of how the reckless and greedy actions of a handful of individuals had led to the misery of so many people around the globe.
"As you move on, you must not relegate integrity, honesty, moral and family values to the backburner. These are basic values of intrinsic and enduring worth. They are the glue of society.
"I urge you, young leaders, to be tolerant, prudent and compassionate. More importantly, you must guard against greed and excesses and be prepared to place public interest before private gains," he said.
Mr Cheung told the attendees that a positive mindset and the right soft skills were more important than an impeccable academic record in a global environment where the economic landscape was fast changing and competition fierce.
"Things are now more volatile; jobs are now more casualised and fragmented; outsourcing and short-term contracts are more prevalent; and services delivered on a freelance basis are increasingly common.
"Our next generation must therefore be more flexible and versatile. They must possess a sense of proportion and have the perseverance and resilience to turn adversity into opportunity for future prosperity," he said.
While no one knows how long this economic downswing will last or how deep it will go, Mr Cheung said we should not lose heart.
"The world has faced seemingly insurmountable challenges before but we managed to emerge stronger. In the final analysis, I believe that a unity of mind, purpose and resolve would enable us to pull through and forge ahead with renewed energy," he concluded.
Present in over 1,100 universities and campuses in more than 100 countries and territories, AIESEC, the world's largest student organisation, is an international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential so as to provide leadership for a positive impact in society.
Ends/Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:29
NNNN
